In today’s Bitcoin in Brief, Belarus, which legalized crypto activities this spring, is now turning its attention to adopting standards for companies operating crypto exchanges and issuing tokens. We’ve covered the decision of the Russian payment provider Qiwi to motivate its employees with tokens. The Daily also features crypto news from China and Canada.

Arrest warrants have reportedly been issued to three employees of a small South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, including its representative director. The three are “suspected [of] fraud and embezzlement,” according to local media.

Arrest Warrants for Crypto Exchange’s Employees

On Monday, local media reported that arrest warrants have been issued to employees of a South Korean cryptocurrency exchange. “Three of the company’s executives, who operate virtual currency trading site HTS Coin, were arrested for [suspicion of] fraud and embezzlement,” Money Today wrote. Read more...

Investing in cryptocurrencies is a hot topic amongst young employees (aged 25-30) in Japan, according to a recently conducted survey held amongst 4,734 participants. The numbers also resemble the overall crypto inclination amongst students in the US to a degree.

4,734 male employees in Japan, aged 25-30, were questioned in a New R25 survey called “Questionnaire Survey on Virtual Currency” between January and March of 2018. Their answers revealed that approximately 14% owned some form of virtual currency. Of particular interest was that more than 90% of the crypto hodlers revealed they bought in with an “investment objective.” Read more...

While private businesses all over the world struggle with employees so much as possessing cryptocurrency, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has reportedly given the full go-ahead to its employees trading crypto.

CFTC Allows Employees to Trade Cryptocurrency

Robert Schmidt reports that bitcoin futures regulator CFTC now allows “workers [to] trade digital tokens as long as they don’t buy them on margin or have inside information gleaned from their jobs,” though futures products of a similar nature are prohibited. Read more...

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) now allows its employees to trade Bitcoin and other digital assets. Moreover, CFTC’s Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo recognizes that Bitcoin can no longer be ignored and that cryptocurrencies offer both significant challenges and opportunities.

CFTC Authorizes its Employees to Trade Bitcoin

As reported by Bloomberg, CFTC, the chief U.S. commodities regulator, is now allowing its employees to invest in cryptocurrencies. The agency granted this authorization after CFTC employees sent numerous inquiries about investing in cryptocurrencies.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) already allows its employees to trade Bitcoin. Read more...

Reports have emerged that the Swedish banking giant, Nordea, has forbidden its employees from trading Bitcoin and other digital currencies.

No More Bitcoin Trading

Swedish bank Nordea has ordered all of its employees to stop trading in cryptocurrencies. According to a recent report by Reuters, the Nordic region’s biggest bank has forbidden its 31,000 employees from trading Bitcoin due its high risks and volatility.

A spokesman for Nordea told Reuters:

The risks are seen as too high and the protection is insufficient for both the co-workers and the bank. Read more...